Beneath Your Beautiful
by Musical Soul
Summary: She was a mystery to him. She hid behind a mask, and he wanted to know why. He tried to get her to talk to him, tried to show her that he cared, but she never responded. He wanted to know what she was hiding. He wanted to know all of her. Maybe one of his songs would convince her to let him in... songfic, dark themes but nothing too graphic, modern AU, no powers
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note - This is the first chapter of my first fanfic! It's inspired by the song Beneath Your Beautiful, hence the name. The fic is already finished, but I'm not going to upload it all at once. There will probably be a day between each chapter release. This one isn't long, but I might continue the story in a sequel, or a series of one-shots. Anyway, here is the link for the version of Beneath Your Beautiful that inspired me: watch?v=oW5TGDmTldM**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Frozen, its characters, or Beneath Your Beautiful.**

* * *

Chapter 1

Noah sat at his desk, his pen rapping out a random rhythm against the wood. Crumpled scraps of paper overflowed his small trash can. Every now and then, he would scribble a few words or scratch a few out, mumbling to himself. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he crumpled the piece of paper he was writing on and tossed it down with the rest.

He groaned, putting his head in his hands. He tried to find some source of inspiration, but nothing was coming to him. He wanted desperately to get his thoughts onto paper, but the words wouldn't come out right. Noah was normally incredibly articulate; writing had always come easy to him. He was considered one of the most honest and sincere people at school, albeit a bit quiet. He only ever said what he meant, and he said it how he meant it.

Noah also took pride in his creative abilities. He had a talent for writing songs, though he rarely played anything that he wrote for anyone but himself or his parents. This time, however, he was having a hard time saying what he wanted to say. That upset him quite a lot, as it was something he wasn't used to. _This is the most important song I__'ve ever tried to write, and of course I have to get writer's block now._

Standing up from his desk, he decided that he had tried enough for tonight. Switching off the desk lamp, Noah made his way slowly to bed, dragging his feet dejectedly. He flopped onto the covers, sighing in exasperation. _Why won__'t this come to me? Ugh. My heart knows what it wants to say, but my brain isn't keeping up._

He lay there for a while, thinking. Trying to arrange his thoughts in a way that would spark some sort of inspiration, he thought back to some of the things that made him want to write this song...

* * *

_He was eight. It was recess time at school, and everyone was out on the playground. Noah went straight for the swings as soon as he got out there. Most of the other children played on the jungle gym, or in the tires, or at the basketball court, but Noah loved the soaring feeling that the swings gave him._

_Picking one of the swings on the end, he sat down, pushing himself back as far as his legs would let him and letting go. He pumped his legs to go as fast and as high as he could. He closed his eyes, smiling at the familiar swoop of his stomach that happened every time he reached the top of his swing._

_Eventually, the sound of a girl's voice brought his eyes open. __"Give it back, please," she begged. Noah frowned, hearing the hurt and sadness in her voice._

"_I don't listen to cry babies," a boy said spitefully. Now, Noah frowned with anger. He knew that voice. It was Jace, one of the rudest boys in his grade. Looking around, he tried to spot Jace and the girl. Finally, his eyes found them, beneath a tree to his left. The girl, it seemed, had been reading a book, and Jace decided to take it from her._

_Noah slowed himself to a stop and walked quickly over to the pair. __"Give her the book back, Jace," he said calmly, folding his arms. Jace may have been the biggest bully on the playground, but Noah was easily the largest boy. He could have pinned Jace to the ground in a second._

_Jace scowled up at him. __"What makes you think I'm gonna listen to you?"_

_Noah glowered at the boy, his arms still crossed. Jace looked him up and down before finally deciding that it would be a bad idea to pick a fight with him. __"Fine, whatever." Jace tossed the book at the girl, and she barely got her hands up in time to keep it from hitting her in the face. Jace walked off, glaring at Noah as he passed._

_Noah knelt down beside the girl. She had long, platinum blond hair that fell down her back in a thick braid. Her pale face was tear-streaked, and she kept her gaze directed at her lap. __"Thank you," she whispered._

"_You're welcome. He's just a big bully. Thinks he can pick on anyone he wants. He didn't hit you with that book, did he?" She shook her head._

_Noah thought for a moment before asking her a question. __"Do you want to come try out the swings with me?"_

_She seemed to consider it for a second, before finally shaking her head. Noah was slightly disappointed, but he hid it behind a smile. __"Alright then. Well, if he picks on you again, you let me know, and I'll stop it."_

_She hesitated, then nodded. Noah frowned. She looked like she was used to being picked on, and he didn__'t like that. "My name is Noah, by the way. What's yours?"_

_He thought she wasn__'t going to answer, but finally, she whispered, "Elsa."_

"_That's a pretty name. Well, anyways, I'll let you read now."_

_He walked back toward the swings, looking back over his shoulder after a few feet. He just caught a glimpse of a pair of bright blue eyes before Elsa looked back down at the book in her lap, avoiding his gaze once more._

* * *

_He was twelve, on his way home after school. He turned to take a shortcut in between two buildings, but stopped short at the sight that met his eyes. Elsa was lying crumpled on the ground, Jace standing above her. He had clearly just given her a good kick. There was another boy there with him, one that Noah didn__'t recognize. Noah took one look at the blood on Elsa's face before a boiling rage took him over._

"_Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" he yelled, running down the alleyway._

_At the sight of him, the two boys scampered. Noah was still the largest boy in his grade, his looks slightly intimidating. Clearly they still didn__'t want to pick a fight with him. It was a smart decision; Noah had been taking taekwondo since he was young. It wouldn't have been a fair fight, especially when he was fuming in anger._

_Running to Elsa__'s side, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Elsa, are you all right?" He mentally kicked himself for asking that. Of course she wasn't all right._

"_Fine," she mumbled, sitting up and wincing. She rubbed the back of her hand across her split lip, blood coming away and shining bright against her pale skin. She stood up shakily, sucking in a sharp breath as she put pressure on her left leg. A bruise was forming on her right cheekbone, and Noah suspected that there were plenty more where that came from._

"_Elsa, please, let me help you. Let me call my mom, she'll come get us and she can drive you home, or to the hospital," he said, thinking that she actually needed the latter._

_Her eyes widened, full of panic and fear. __"N-no, please. Just…just leave me alone." She started hobbling off down the alleyway, heavily favoring her left leg. Noah didn't understand why she didn't want help._

"_Elsa, at least let me walk you home," he begged, following her._

"_Please, no, j-just…I can do it. Please, Noah, just leave me alone." He was shocked that she remembered his name. He, of course, had never forgotten hers. How could he? She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. But he was just Noah, why would she remember him?_

_He stood there, at a loss for words, as she made her way home slowly._

* * *

_He was fifteen, and he had followed Elsa home without her knowing. He had been keeping an eye on her ever since Jace had beat her up in that alleyway. He would have reported the abuse to the police, or at least the school, but he knew she would be upset if he said anything._

_Noah watched her unlock the front door of her house and slump inside. She had seemed a little better recently, even though she still wouldn__'t talk to anyone at school. He tried to sit near her whenever he could, tried to talk to her sometimes. She never responded to him, but he kept up a constant stream of words, hoping that one day she would actually reply. She never did, but he occasionally got a very small smile out of her. Maybe his conversations were actually making her a little happier._

_Her house was just down the street from his own, it turned out. He was only five houses away. Noah watched through the windows of her home, following her upstairs with his eyes. He moved a bit, trying to see where she had gone. Finally, he saw her form through the curtains of a window on the upper right side of the house. Her window was right behind a large oak tree, and he could barely make her out through the leaves._

_Suddenly, the curtains were thrown open in her window, and he saw her glance down at the street. He met her eyes then, and she met his. She froze; the fear in her eyes was obvious, even from the street. After a few seconds, she snatched the curtains closed. Noah sighed, and continued down the street to his own house._

* * *

There were hundreds of other memories that he could have brought to mind. Those were the most vivid though. There were other, smaller ones. A touch here, a glance there. A class together, a moment on the school grounds during break. Noah thought back to the last couple of years. Elsa turned heads wherever she walked. All the boys in school said she was easily the most drop-dead gorgeous thing that the school had seen in years. A few brave boys who didn't mind how quiet she was had even asked her out; Noah had witnessed a few of those attempts. She always turned them away, speaking as little as possible.

Noah thought she was beautiful, of course, but that wasn't what interested him. He wanted to know all of her. He wanted to know who the girl behind the mask was. The glimpses he had of her personality only ever made him smile. He got a glance at her interests based on the things that she would smile at in his conversations with her. But he wanted to know more. He _needed _to know more.

Sighing, he rolled over, trying to get comfortable. It was late, and he really needed to get some sleep before school tomorrow. His mind just wouldn't be quiet. He'd been working on this song for a few days now, which was incredibly unusual for him. It was frustrating. _Who are you, Elsa? You put on a mask for everyone, try to make them think that your life is perfect, but I don__'t believe you for a second. I want to know what's beneath that…_

Noah sat up quickly in bed. A thought had struck him. It was fleeting, and it was all he had, but it was a start. Getting up and crossing to his desk, he grabbed his pen and a piece of paper. He quickly scribbled a single sentence:

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?_

* * *

A comfortable, spring breeze ruffled Noah's thick brown hair as he walked into the school building. His hair, when allowed to grow out some, was completely unruly, so he kept it cut a little short. It still stuck up all over the place, but he could handle that. His dark green eyes searched the hallways, looking for his friends. Finally, he found them, leaning up against their lockers.

"Hey, Noah. What's up?" a tall, blond boy asked him. Kristoff was almost as tall and broad as Noah. Together, they made a formidable pair.

"Nothing much. You?"

"Same."

The short redhead beside him just shook her head. "Men. So expressive. You really told each other what was happening with that greeting, didn't you?"

"Yes, Anna, we did. See, nothing's happening right now," Noah responded, laughing. A sudden glimpse of platinum blond caught his attention, and his gaze flicked to the side, watching Elsa out of the corner of his eye. Anna didn't miss a thing.

"Your girl arrive?" Anna turned around, looking for what was holding Noah's attention. Sure enough, she spotted Elsa at her locker, getting her books for first period.

"She's not my girl, Anna."

"No, but you want her to be." He couldn't deny that.

"Speaking of, how's that song coming?" she asked, taking Kristoff's hand as they walked to class.

"Ugh. Terrible. I can't seem to get anything to sound right. Though I did have one stroke of genius late last night, so maybe I can get it rolling from there." Noah ran a hand through his short hair, making it spike up even more.

"I'm sure it'll all come together. You've never failed to write what you want yet," Kristoff said.

"Thanks, man."

The school day went by at a snail's pace. Noah didn't mind though, because he had half his classes with Elsa, and the more time (or what _felt_ like more time) he could spend with her, the happier he was. He kept stealing glances at her throughout the day, hoping that seeing her would trigger some ideas for his song.

Sitting down beside Elsa at the start of their eleventh grade AP English class, Noah let out a sigh. "Been having a good day, Els?"

She nodded at him. That was usually the most response he ever got from her.

"Mine's been going fairly well. Last night was slightly frustrating though. I've been trying to write this song, but it's just not coming to me. Normally I'm really good with words, you know. But this time, it's just slipping through my fingers."

She sent him a concerned look.

"Well, it's alright. It'll come to me eventually," he said, smiling at her. He stared at her for a few seconds, watching her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He always thought that was the most adorable thing. Another idea for his song suddenly came to mind, and he quickly grabbed a pen and some paper, scribbling away as fast as he could.

Elsa raised an eyebrow at him. Another look he thought was absolutely adorable.

"I just had a thought for my song. Guess mentioning that I was stuck helped," he said, laughing.

Elsa gave him a small smile, just as the teacher walked into the classroom.

* * *

Noah ran inside, throwing his backpack down in the living room and yelling a hurried hello to his mother. Then he leapt up the stairs three at a time, barreling into his room and grabbing his paper and pen. Downstairs, his mother chuckled, shaking her head.

Noah grabbed the piece of paper out of his back pocket, smoothed it out on the desk, and began scribbling furiously on a fresh piece. After about thirty minutes of quick thinking, scratching out a few words, and throwing away a piece of paper or two, Noah proudly held his completed song in his hands. He scanned it one more time and sighed happily.

That was it. That was what he wanted to say. Now came the easy part: the music. He picked up his guitar, strumming a few random chords before he found one that he was happy with. He plucked away at the strings, the song flowing from his fingers as if he had known it all along. He scribbled down some notes on his paper and began working on putting the words with the music.

An hour or two later, Noah sang through his song one more time, finally satisfied. He was proud of it. It was perfect. He only hoped that she would think so too. A soft voice at his door brought him out of his thoughts.

"That's a beautiful song, Noah. Who's the young lady?" his mother asked.

Noah tried not to smile. "What makes you think it's for someone in particular?"

"Noah, you've never worked this hard on a song. Usually they come much quicker than this for you. Plus, I heard your love in the words. You didn't think you were the only one in this family with a talent for writing, did you?" she teased, chuckling.

"Okay, okay. It's…don't laugh, alright?"

"Never."

"It's for Elsa." He saw his mother's eyes soften, misting over slightly.

"It's perfect, son. A beautiful song for a beautiful girl."

He looked down at his lap, grinning. _I think so too, Mom._

"Don't push her though, alright? I know how much you want to get her to come out of her shell, but let her do it at her own pace, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am. I just feel like she needs a little nudge, you know? I just want her to know that there _is _someone out there who cares for her. Who wants to know it all, and will love it all, no matter what."

His mother smiled at him before walking across the room and wrapping him in a hug. "You do have a way with words, Noah. I'm proud of you. Are you going to sing it to her?"

"I was planning on it."

"I think you should. It might be the nudge she needs."

Noah exhaled slowly, suddenly nervous at the thought of singing Elsa the song he had written. Looking down at his guitar and at the lyrics on the page beside it, he steeled his nerves. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get her to listen to it.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note - Here's chapter 2! Getting a little darker in this chapter, but nothing too graphic. And as mentioned before, the song here is Beneath Your Beautiful. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2

It was well past eleven o'clock and Noah sat out on the sidewalk across from Elsa's house, fidgeting nervously. He had been doing "reconnaissance" missions for the past two weeks, resulting in quite a lack of sleep. He had been monitoring her home, trying to figure out what time all the lights went out. He noticed that hers was always the last light in the house to go out, which worked out well for him.

He had never met her parents before, but he had a suspicion that they weren't the nicest people. He didn't know how they would take a boy sitting outside Elsa's window, so he made sure that he waited long enough before climbing the large oak tree. He didn't want to wake the whole house. The light in her bedroom had gone out just a few minutes before, and he knew she was probably still awake. Her parents' light had gone out an hour before, and he thought that would be good enough.

Noah made his way slowly up the tree, trying to make as little sound as possible and keep his guitar from getting scratched at the same time. Finally, he reached the height of her window, and he climbed out on a thick branch, straddling it when he thought it wouldn't hold his weight out much farther. He was still a few feet from her window. Peeking between the curtains, he saw her relaxed form lying in her bed. She was turned on her side, facing away from the window.

Reaching in his pocket for a couple of the pebbles he had brought with him, he tossed one at the glass. It made a soft clicking noise, which didn't seem to get her attention. He tried again, harder. That time, he got her attention. She pushed up quickly in her bed, looking at her window. He could barely make out her eyes widening as she noticed him in the tree.

She got out of her bed and hesitantly approached her window. Noah saw that she even wore long-sleeved shirts and pants to bed. The thought worried him a little. At last, Elsa seemed to realize who was at her window, and she pulled back her curtains. Her eyes flitted all over the place, taking in his shy smile, his guitar, where he was sitting.

Positioning his guitar in his lap, Noah waited until he saw her beginning to crack the window before he began playing. His fingers finding the right chords, he strummed on his guitar for a few seconds before singing his song for her.

_You tell all the boys __'no'  
__Makes you feel good, yeah  
__I know you__'re out of my league  
__But that won__'t scare me.. away, oh, no_

Elsa cracked her window just has he began to play. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest, the sound of it almost drowning out his guitar. When his voice reached her ears, her breath caught in her throat. She had always loved his deep voice, but when he was singing…oh, it was even better. His musical voice sounded like warm honey, smooth and soft. She hadn't ever heard the song he was singing before, and she wondered if this was the song he had been talking about writing a few weeks ago.

_You__'ve carried on so long  
__You couldn__'t stop if you tried it  
__You__'ve built your wall so high  
__That no one could climb it_

_But I__'m gonna try_

_Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful?  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your perfect?  
__Take it off now, girl  
__Take it off now, girl  
__I wanna see inside  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

Tears pricked her eyes at his words. They spoke to her, went straight to her heart. She _had_ built walls; she kept everyone out, even him. Did he really mean what he was saying to her? She stared at him, unable to take her eyes off his. His beautiful green eyes were so full of emotion. _Why would you write this, Noah? What could I possibly mean to you?_

She couldn't help the tears that poured down her cheeks. She made to wipe them away, but more just replaced the ones she had wiped off. Her heart ached painfully. She had wanted to let him in for so long, but she'd been terrified of what he would think of her. And if she _had_ told him, and her father had found out...

_You let all the boys go  
__Makes you feel good, don__'t it  
__Behind your broadway show  
__I heard a voice sayin__' please don't hurt me_

A sob escaped Elsa's lips. The accuracy of his words drew even more tears out of her. How did he understand this much of her? How could he possibly know that she was hiding things? Dark, painful secrets that she didn't want to tell anyone. And she desperately feared being hurt. Could he really see that in her eyes?

_You__'ve carried on so long  
__You couldn__'t stop if you tried it  
__You__'ve built your wall so high  
__That no one could climb it_

_But I__'m gonna try_

_Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful?  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your perfect?  
__Take it off now, girl  
__Take it off now, girl  
__I wanna see inside  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

More tears coursed down her cheeks, falling like a steady rain. She didn't feel beautiful. She never felt beautiful. She hid behind a mask, trying to convince everyone that her life was perfect, when it was anything but that. _He can__'t possibly mean what he's saying…can he?_ _Do you really think I__'m beautiful, Noah? How can you? There's nothing about me that's beautiful._

_I__'m gonna climb on top your ivory tower  
__I__'ll hold your hand and we'll jump right out  
__We__'ll be falling, falling  
__But that__'s okay, I'll be right here_

_I just wanna know_

_Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful?  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your perfect?  
__Take it off now, girl  
__Take it off now, girl  
__'Cause I wanna see inside  
__Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

_Tonight  
__Your beautiful, oh, tonight  
__We ain__'t perfect, we ain't perfect, no_

_Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

Elsa sank to the floor in front of her window, her body wracked with sobs, as he finished his song. Her heart hurt; _oh_, it hurt. She ached with the pain of someone who had never been loved, and didn't feel like they deserved to be loved. No one had ever shown her this much kindness, this much love. _Why did you do this, Noah? Why do you care?_

She took a few gasping breaths, trying to calm down a little. Elsa looked up to find him staring at her with such love and concern that it made her heart clench painfully. She stood up, wiping away as many of her tears as she could, then reached out to push her window up as far as it would go.

Noah smiled sadly at her. "Els, I meant what I said. Every word of it. Let me see beneath your beautiful."

She choked out another sob, wrapping her arms around herself. Making up his mind, Noah hooked the strap of his guitar around a limb, then scooted to the end of the branch he was on, putting a foot on the bottom edge of her window.

"What are you— Noah, if they catch you—"

"It's alright. I'll be quiet." He put his weight on the foot resting on her window, bending down to a crouch before slipping inside her room. He instantly had her tucked against his chest, wrapping his strong, comforting arms around her. Elsa tried to hold back her tears, but it was a fruitless effort. She trembled against him, sobbing. He sat down on the floor with her in his arms, gently stroking her hair.

Elsa buried her face in his chest, clutching tightly at his shirt. She tried to stop her tears again. She was being too loud, and she knew it. She just couldn't help it. Everything he had said had cut right to her heart. She felt like her soul was laid open, stripped bare for him. How could he be this perceptive?

Noah held her close, rubbing her back affectionately. He would stay there as long as he could, holding her all night if he had to. He was lost in thought. He had suspected that this would be what happened, but it still made his heart physically hurt to see her like this.

Elsa's head suddenly popped up, a look of abject terror on her face. Noah could hear someone coming up the stairs of the house, and a brief wave of fear swept through him. But it was gone as quick as it had come. _I refuse to leave her here like this. I'll just deal with the consequences._

"Noah, you have to go! They can't find you here, please!"

"Els, I'm not going anywhere."

"No, you don't understand, you have to—" She stopped abruptly as an angry voice broke out in the hallway.

"You little bitch, how many times do I have to tell you to keep quiet?! Shut the hell up!" The doorknob rattled and the door shook as it was thrown open, slamming into the wall. A man stood in the doorway, his eyes bloodshot and a look of complete disgust on his face. At the sight of Noah, the man stopped short.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you in my house?!"

Elsa got up quickly, her hands held out in front of her, as if she were trying to ward off her father, to keep him away from Noah. "Please, father, he just—"

"Did I ask you, bitch?" he yelled, backhanding her hard across the face. She stumbled, whimpering.

That was all it took. Noah growled in anger, his face an intimidating display of absolute fury. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of Elsa's father. He gripped the man by the throat, pushing him up against the wall and holding him up off his feet.

"Don't _ever_ touch her like that," Noah growled. "_Ever._"

"I can do what I want, you little—" the man spat, before his airways were completely restricted by Noah's tightened grip.

"You will _never_ touch her again. She is leaving this house, and she will never come back. _You_," Noah snarled, "will stay _right_ here while we leave. You _will not_ move a muscle," he said dangerously. The man was turning purple now from lack of air. Noah slackened his grip minutely, letting the man breathe. "Elsa, get your things together quickly. We're leaving."

The man glanced furiously at Elsa, a threat behind his gaze. "Don't you—" he started, before Noah cut him off again. Noah's eyes were practically glowing with anger. He felt such an utter hatred for this man, it was all he could do to keep from snapping the man's neck. It would be so easy.

"_Now_, Els, quickly." At his voice, she began running around the room, snatching her few measly possessions from their places. She grabbed a bag from her closet, throwing her clothes in it, along with the few items she had picked up. She was ready in two minutes.

Noah grabbed one of the man's arms, twisting it painfully, before releasing his grip on the man's neck. He seized the man's other arm, giving it the same treatment. Noah forced the man across the room, as far away from the door as possible.

"Now, we are going to leave. If you move a _single muscle_ before we are out of the door, I _will _snap your neck." Noah's size backed up his statement. He was almost twice the width of this man, and a good head taller. Releasing him, Noah backed up slowly, his eyes never leaving Elsa's brute of a father. "Elsa, out the door, now."

She didn't waste any time, practically running out of her bedroom. Noah followed, shutting the door behind them. He twisted the doorknob hard, a popping noise breaking the silence; he had broken it so the man couldn't get out. Noah hoped that the man wouldn't have the sense to climb out the window. _Pretty sure he won__'t. That bastard was so drunk, I don't know how he made it up the stairs._

Elsa led the way downstairs, stepping as quietly as she could, before making her way to the front door. Noah followed her, his ears listening for any sounds that would alert him to trouble. Tears still flowed silently down Elsa's cheeks, fear making her face even paler than normal.

Noah grabbed her hand as soon as they were out of the door, pulling her into a run. "Come on, Els. Let's hurry."

"But your guitar…"

"You're worth much more than a guitar, Elsa."

That caused her to break down again, the tears coming hot and fast. Why did he care so much? And why did he think that she was worth anything at all? She'd been told she was worthless so many times now that she had actually come to believe it. Why did he think differently? _I have got to be dreaming__…there's no other way to explain this…_

They ran down the street, following a slight bend in the road. He stopped outside a house that still had a few lights on. Pulling her up the sidewalk, he walked right up to the door and pushed it open. His parents were still up, sitting in the living room. Both of them were reading, but they looked up when Noah came in.

"Noah! What is— Oh my goodness, dear, are you all right?" his mother asked upon seeing Elsa's face. Noah glanced sideways at her, just now noticing her split lip and the hint of a bruise that was starting to form across her cheek where her father had backhanded her.

"Mom, call the police, right now."

"Noah, no, please—" Elsa pleaded. She stopped short at the look he shot her.

"Mom, now."

His mother was standing now, a worried look on her face. She looked distinctly sick, as if she already knew what was going to come out of his mouth in answer to her next question. "What am I telling them, son?"

"Domestic abuse," was his curt reply.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note - Here's chapter three! Thanks so much for the views, reviews, and follows :D one more chapter to go after this one! Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Chapter 3

His mother stood there, shocked, for a few seconds before running for the phone. Noah pulled Elsa into an embrace when he heard her sob, letting her cry in his arms. His father stood, taking a step toward them, his face livid with anger.

"What happened, son?"

"I'll tell you later, Dad. Just…can you go get…you know…" At his father's confused expression, Noah made a gun with his thumb and pointer finger behind Elsa's back. His father nodded his understanding, leaving the room quickly.

Scooping Elsa into his arms, Noah made his way to the couch and sat down with her in his lap. He cradled her close to him, murmuring soothingly in her ear, rubbing her back in small circles. "It's okay, Els. I promise, it'll all be okay."

His mother came back into the living room, a damp washcloth in her hands. She handed it to Noah before sitting down in a chair. Her face was white, and she looked incredibly worried. "They're on their way. They'll be here in ten minutes or less."

"Thank you," he said.

He tilted Elsa's head up so that he could get a good look at her. Gently, Noah wiped the blood off her face. He folded the cloth and pressed it tenderly to her bruised cheek, which was rapidly darkening. She sucked in a breath, hissing in pain. Noah's eyes filled with concern. _Why did this have to happen to her? She didn't deserve this._

A few minutes later, the sound of a car approaching brought Elsa's head up. She looked, panicked, into Noah's eyes. "N-Noah, I can't do this! I c-can't…" she choked out, sobbing even harder than before.

"I know you can, Els. And I'll be right here with you. I promise." He brushed away her tears, hoping that what he said gave her a little confidence. Noah looked up at a knock on the front door.

The meeting with the police officer was brief, but that didn't make it any easier for Elsa. She had to say things that she'd never told anyone before. She would have preferred to only tell Noah, but that wouldn't solve any problems. So she held his hand tightly as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. Noah chimed in whenever he could, mentioning everything he could think of that would help. The officer didn't hesitate for long. He made a few calls, requesting backup, and a warrant for the arrest of both of Elsa's parents.

It was all over in thirty minutes. They stood on the sidewalk, watching as the man and his wife were forced, handcuffed, into the back of a police car. An officer walked up to Noah to give him back his guitar and he strapped it to his back, thankful, but not really caring about it at the moment. Elsa was shaking beside him, her arms wrapped around herself. He put an arm around her shoulders protectively.

The police told them there would be a trial, and that someone would call the next day to let them know the date. Elsa would be required to attend, and she would need to tell them as much as she could. Noah squeezed her hand, letting her know that he would help her.

It was extremely late at night when they finally made their way back into Noah's home. His parents stayed up, waiting on the call from the officer that let them know Elsa's parents were officially behind bars. It wasn't long before they received it, and his parents decided to get some sleep.

"Noah, take her upstairs. Don't hesitate to come get me if you need anything. And Noah," his mother said, pausing at the hallway that led to their bedroom. "I trust you, son. She needs you."

Noah understood. He grabbed Elsa's hand again, pulling her toward the stairs. They made their way up silently. He pushed open the door to his room, incredibly thankful that his mother had made him clean it the day before. He flipped the light on, tugging her over to the bed.

"What did she mean?" Elsa asked, looking up at Noah.

"She meant that you could stay with me," he said, smiling at her. "That is, if you want to."

Elsa bit her lip, a flush creeping up her cheeks. She nodded her head, looking at the floor. "Please?" she whispered. It felt awkward to ask, but his mother had been right. She _did_ need him. His presence was comforting, and she was an emotional wreck right now, desperately in need of comfort.

Noah smiled. "Come here, then." He flipped back the covers of his bed, motioning for her to lie down before walking to his dresser and pulling out a pair of pajama pants and an undershirt. He normally slept in just his boxers, but he didn't want to make Elsa uncomfortable.

"I'm going to go change really quick, alright? I'll be right back." He walked into the adjoining bathroom, shutting the door behind him and changing quickly. When he walked back into his room, Elsa's head was tilted up to the ceiling, her eyes closed. Tears slid silently down her cheeks, a few angling toward her hairline just above her ears. Noah's heart cried out for her.

He flipped off the light and walked quickly to the other side of the bed, climbing in beside her. She turned toward him as soon as he lay down, and he pulled her to his side, running a hand through her silky hair. "Shh, it's okay. I promise, they'll never hurt you again."

She shook against him with the force of her sobs. Deep inside, she was amazed that she was letting him hold her like this. She never let anyone get this close to her. But he had somehow climbed her walls, somehow seen past her façade. And instead of being disgusted or disappointed, he held her close, cared for her, loved her. It didn't make any sense to her; she'd never felt loved before. _Why, Noah? Why me?_

Noah wished desperately that there was something he could say or do to make her feel better. Better yet, he wished he could make her forget everything bad that had ever happened to her. He wished that he could take away the pain, the fear, the loneliness. He knew he couldn't do any of that, though; the memories would always be there. But what he _could_ do was make the rest of her life as perfect as possible.

"I'm here, Els. I promise. I'll always be here."

Eventually, her tears stopped, her breathing slowed, and her weight grew heavy against him. He tilted his head so that he could look at the sleeping girl in his arms. He brushed a couple of fingers across her bruised cheek, his heart so full of love that he thought it might burst. He lay there for a while, listening to her breathe, before finally drifting off to sleep with her.

* * *

Noah's mother, Sarah, sat at the breakfast table, a cup of coffee in her hands. Her eyes were a little red and she looked extremely tired. She hadn't gotten much sleep at all last night, she'd been so worried about Elsa. The poor girl had clearly been traumatized for most of her life. Sarah had known that Elsa's family was reclusive, but she'd never thought that this was the reason. She thought back to all the times Noah had come home upset because Elsa wouldn't talk to him, wouldn't let him in. She shook her head. _Now we know why. The poor girl._

Her husband, Jim, had gone to work earlier that morning. Before he had left, they'd had a quick discussion regarding Elsa. He'd agreed with her instantly. They would let her stay with them, for as long as she needed. Sarah could tell that Elsa needed Noah, needed the comfort and love that he was so willing to give.

Getting up slowly, she made her way upstairs. She poked her head around her son's slightly open door, the sight before her eyes bringing a smile to her lips. Noah had Elsa pulled up against his side, a protective arm around her shoulders. Elsa clutched at his undershirt in her sleep, holding on to him as if her life depended on it. Sarah couldn't be more proud of her son. She knew that he usually slept in just his boxers, but he'd been a gentleman. Smiling even more, she gently closed the door, walking back downstairs.

She put in a call to the school, explaining the situation, so that they knew why Elsa and Noah were missing today. The lady on the phone had been horrified when Sarah told her what had occurred. Sarah wished she could save Elsa from the stares and whispers that she knew would come when the girl's story came out, but there was just no way around it. Sighing, she picked up her book from the night before, trying to distract herself.

* * *

Noah woke up shortly after his mother had shut the door. He glanced sideways at the clock on his nightstand. Obviously his mother wasn't making them go to school. She would have called them by now. He was glad. Elsa didn't need that right now. She needed to be here, to be comforted. He lay there quietly for a long time, letting her get as much sleep as she wanted.

An hour later, Elsa stirred against him. He rubbed her back, trying to wake her up gently. She took a deep breath, and then Noah felt her stiffen against him.

"It's okay, Els. It's just me. You're in my house, not yours. You're safe, I promise." She relaxed into him at his words. He still felt her heart pounding quickly in her chest where she was pressed up against him.

Elsa stayed like that for only a minute or two. She finally realized what position they were in, what that meant. She had slept in his arms the entire night. Rolling over onto her back, she stared up at the ceiling, trying not to blush. _I think that__'s the best night of sleep I've ever gotten._

Noah got up as she rolled off him. He stretched, yawning. His chocolate brown hair was tousled from sleep, though it didn't look much different than it normally did. He smiled at her before crossing to his dresser to pick out some clothes for the day.

"Would you like to get a shower?" She nodded, getting up and rummaging through her bag she had packed, looking for something comfortable. He showed her into the bathroom, pulling out a fresh towel and washcloth. He dug through the contents of his bathroom cabinet, searching for some less-manly shampoo and a fresh bar of soap. Finally finding some, he handed them to her before grabbing his shampoo and soap.

"I'm gonna get one in the guest bathroom down the hall. We have gas-heated water, so you don't have to worry about not having hot water," he said, smiling. He shut the door behind himself as he walked out.

Elsa stared at the closed door for a few minutes before shaking herself out of her trance and turning the water on. She got in the shower, sighing as the hot water pounded on her sore muscles. She did a quick damage assessment, checking for anything new from the day before. A couple fresh bruises, but nothing broken. At least, she didn't think so.

When she came out of the bathroom, Noah was sitting on his bed strumming quietly on his guitar, his hair slightly damp from his shower. Her heart raced and heat crept into her cheeks. Noah always made her feel this way, like her blood had turned to molten lava and her heart was busy running a marathon. _I don__'t think he realizes what he does to me._ Elsa shook her head in an attempt to clear it, shutting the door behind her.

Noah stopped playing, looking up as he heard the bathroom door close. His heart leapt in his chest. Elsa's hair was damp, falling in a long braid down her back. She was staring at him, a slight pink tint to her cheeks. _I've never seen anyone more beautiful._

"Please, don't stop," she said quietly. That brought a smile to his face. He changed chords, strumming a few notes before going softly into his song for her.

He looked right into her eyes as he sang. _"You've carried on so long, you couldn't stop if you tried it. You've built your wall so high that no one could climb it. But I'm gonna try. Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful? Would you let.. me.. see beneath your perfect? Take it off now, girl. Take it off now, girl. I wanna see inside. Would you let.. me.. see beneath your beautiful tonight?"_ He trailed off, smiling at her.

A tear slipped down her cheek. She looked down at the floor as more of them came, her shoulders shaking slightly. Elsa jumped when she felt his arms wrap around her. She hesitated before returning the gesture. She gripped his shirt in her hands, burying her face in his chest as she cried convulsively. He held her tenderly, trying to let her know that he would always be there for her. After a while, her sobs lessened, and Noah pulled back a little.

"Let me see beneath your beautiful, Elsa," he said quietly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, her voice cracking a bit.

"Say what?"

"Beautiful," she whispered, more tears leaking out of her eyes. She looked down at the ground again.

Noah reached up to brush away her tears with his knuckles. Putting his fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her head up so that she was looking right at him. "Because you are."

Elsa let out a quiet sob, fresh tears rolling down her face. She closed her eyes. She had never felt this vulnerable before, had never felt so exposed. She felt Noah pick her up, carrying her to the bed. He sat down on the edge of it, putting her in his lap and cradling her close to him.

After a time, she spoke softly, her voice breaking a little. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Write that song. How…how did you know? How could you have written a song that…well, it…it felt like me."

This was probably the longest string of words she had ever said directly to him at one time. Noah loved her voice. He hoped they could make a habit of this talking thing, because he wanted to hear the sound of her voice every single day. Pulling her even closer to him, he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"Els, do you remember that time I stopped Jace from picking on you, back in elementary school?"

Elsa nodded. "You said my name was pretty," she whispered.

Noah blinked, surprised. "You remember that?"

"No one had ever told me that before. You're still the only one that has."

Noah pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Well, I meant it, and I still do. See, I love you, Elsa. And I have ever since that day on the playground. As a kid, it wasn't a romantic kind of love. I just loved who you were. Something inside of me knew that you needed comfort, that you needed love. And I wanted to give it to you. I suppose I thought of you as something like a sister, but…that doesn't even describe it accurately. I guess…I loved you romantically, but without an actual sense of what romance was, without loving you physically. Does that make sense?"

She stayed still against him, her heart thumping painfully in her chest. His words were slowly undoing her, melting her heart and soul into a puddle of happiness and tears. She understood what he was trying to say, but she didn't know _why. _Why did he love her? What was there about her that was worth loving?

After a few seconds, Noah continued. "Well, as the years went by, and I came to understand just what it meant to love someone…well, romantically…I realized that I still loved you, Els. But it wasn't childlike love anymore...it was deeper. The older I got, the more everything made sense, the more I knew in my heart that I wanted to make you happy, every single day."

He took a deep breath, his stomach doing a few flips at his next thoughts. "I want to make you happy in every way, Els. Emotionally…and physically, whether it be with a hug or a kiss, or something…more," he said softly, stroking her cheek.

Elsa's heart skipped a beat at his words and she felt a flush creep up her cheeks. Part of her wounded heart wanted to run and hide, wanted her to shelter herself from the possibility of being hurt. But most of her was _achingly _desperate for his love. She loved him too; she always had. He was so kind, and caring, and good. He was funny, and smart, and he made her heart soar every time he was around her. Plus, he was devilishly handsome. He was the only person that was always there for her. He treated her like a normal person, even though she never responded to him. She loved all of him, from his messy brown hair to his big feet, and everything in between.

Noah reached up to rub his thumb across the back of her neck. "I've always loved you, Els. And I always will. And I guess you could say that I have a…talent for reading people. I'm usually pretty good at catching the meaning behind words, or in your case, silence. I've watched you for a long time. The song just…came naturally. It was what I thought of you, what I see when I look in your eyes."

"Why me, Noah? Why? How could you possibly…"

"Because you're you," he answered softly. "Because you are beautiful, inside and out. I've watched your eyes more times than I can count, and the emotion I see in them tells me so much about you. I know that you're caring, that you would give a stranger the shirt off your back if he needed it. I know that if given the chance, you will love with your whole heart, with everything that you are. I know that you can brush things off, that you can put on a face for everyone, and that makes you strong. I know that you are shy, and quiet, but I love that too. Els, you shouldn't have turned out this wonderful. You've spent your life being abused, and yet you are the sweetest person I know. How that happened, I'll probably never figure out. You are so, _so_ special, Els. The more of you that I get to know, the more of you that I fall in love with."

He held her gently, trying to let his actions speak just as loudly as his words. Eventually, her tears slowed to a halt. She sat up in his lap and rubbed her face dry, wincing as she brushed her hand against the bruise on her cheek.

Noah looked at her with concern. "Do I need to get some medicine for that?"

"No, it's fine. It's not that bad."

Noah sent her a skeptical look. "It looks bad to me."

"No, really, it'll go away in a day or two. I'm fine," she said quietly, staring at her lap.

Noah sighed. He decided to let it go for a while. He would keep an eye on her. He suspected that she had more bruises that she wasn't mentioning, but he wouldn't ask. Not yet, anyway. Glancing at her beautiful eyes, so full of sadness, he decided that it was time she had some fun. She needed to be happy.

"Come on, let's go see if Mom has anything for lunch. And then we're going to have fun."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note - Here's the last chapter! Thanks for all the reads, reviews, and follows :) Hope you all like it! As I said before, might do some one-shots from this. The snippet of a song in this last chapter is All of Me. Which I do not own :) Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4

It had been a week since Noah had rescued her, and she had never felt more loved in all her life than she did for the past seven days. His parents went out of their way to take care of her, and Noah barely ever left her side. Going back to school had been difficult, but she'd done it. There were whispers and stares, sure, but she could handle it. There usually were anyway.

What amazed her though was how quickly Noah's friends accepted her. They let her right into the group, as if she'd been there all along. She still didn't talk to anyone except Noah. She was getting there, and it would take time. But she was being treated better, and that went a long way toward healing her wounded heart.

They had just finished dinner, Noah and Elsa both helping to clean up the kitchen. She hadn't had proper meals for most of her life, so when he had asked her what her favorite meal was, she had told him she didn't know. So, Noah resolved to help her find out. He asked his mom to fix as many different things as she could think of for the next month, letting Elsa try it all. So far, her favorite was his mom's pot roast.

They stayed in the living room with his family for a while, watching _How to Train Your Dragon_. It was a cute, funny movie, something that he thought would be good therapy for Elsa. She actually laughed a few times. It was the first time he had ever heard her laugh, and he instantly decided that he loved it. He needed to hear it more often.

When the movie was over, he pulled her off the couch, dragging her up to his room, saying a quick goodnight to his parents over his shoulder. They had allowed her to continue staying in his room. He'd received a stern talking to from his father a few nights ago about how to act responsibly, but he hardly needed it. There was no way he would be anything but a gentleman around her. She still flinched at his touch every now and then. He knew she couldn't handle intimacy, and he wouldn't press it on her. Besides, he didn't want that from her right now. He hadn't even properly kissed her yet. She needed time to recover, and he knew that.

Noah glanced at Elsa as they walked into his room, shutting the door behind him. She walked with the practiced ease of someone who knew how to move when they were hurting, and that bothered him. He couldn't believe that he'd never noticed it before; he'd spent enough time with bruises from taekwondo that he should have recognized her stance. _I guess I never noticed because I wasn't looking for it. I never, ever expected this to be happening to her._

Noah really didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but he could tell she was hurting, and he wanted to help. He crossed to his dresser, reaching into a drawer and pulling out the tightest t-shirt he owned. He stood there for a minute before turning around to see Elsa watching him with a slight frown on her face.

Noah took a deep breath. "Els…I know you're hurting. I see it in the way you walk. I'm ashamed that I didn't notice it before, but you've been really good at hiding it, and I was never looking for it, until now. I've been taking taekwondo since I was three, you know. I know how to walk with a bruise too."

Elsa blinked at him, surprised. She sometimes forgot that he took taekwondo, and it never occurred to her that he could see through her stance, that he would have had to deal with a few bruises as well.

"I…I want you to do something for me," he said, walking over to her and handing her his t-shirt. "Could you wear this? I know it'll be hard for you, and I know this isn't something that you really want to do. But if you're still walking like that after a week of rest, then it must have been bad. I just want to help you."

Elsa unfolded the shirt he had given her. It was a plain, light blue t-shirt. It looked like it would probably swallow her whole. She fingered the short sleeves, thinking. She looked up at him after a few seconds, her face pale, looking slightly sick. She hadn't worn a t-shirt in…well, she couldn't remember the last time she had worn a t-shirt. She wore long-sleeved shirts even when she was alone, to hide her bruises from herself. She didn't like to see them. But, this was for Noah. He was kind, and good, and he cared for her. He would be gentle.

Finally, Elsa nodded her head. She grabbed a pair of pajama pants from her bag and walked to the bathroom to change. As she slipped the t-shirt on, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. It came down to mid-thigh on her, and was more than a bit baggy. A few ugly bruises were clearly visible on her arms. She shuddered at the sight of them.

She felt her resolve slowly slipping from her grasp. _I can__'t do this, I can't! I don't want him to see me like this! _I_ don__'t want to see me like this. Why does he have to care so much?_ She took a deep breath, and before she could change her mind, opened the bathroom door.

Noah's eyes filled with concern when she came out. He could see multiple bruises covering her arms, and he knew there would be more. Some places he could tell there was a deep ache, based on the way she moved. Those would take a while to heal. Most of the bruises on her arms were a nasty purple color, vivid against her pale skin.

Elsa looked down at the floor, embarrassed and scared and depressed and a multitude of other emotions. Noah took her hand gently in his and led her over to the bed. He sat her down on the edge of it, taking her hands in his own and kneeling down in front of her.

"I'm _so_ sorry you had to go through all that, Els." A tear slid down her cheek and he reached up to brush it away. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get some medicine for you."

Noah went to the bathroom and pulled out his medicine kit. Bringing it back to the bedroom, he pulled out a small tube. "This is arnica gel. I've had to use it a lot myself, because of taekwondo. We would sometimes get a little…rough. We're not supposed to hurt each other, but we're boys, you know. Sometimes we get a little out of hand. Anyway, this gel helps immensely. Can I…?" He trailed off, not sure how to finish his sentence.

She nodded. Noah unscrewed the cap on the tube and squeezed a small amount onto his finger. He gently took her arm in his hands, applying the gel to the first bruise he saw. He took his time with her, being as gentle as he could. He finished with one arm and moved to the next. He would have to tell his mom to get some more of the gel by the time he was done.

When he finished with her arms, he hesitated. He wanted to make sure he got them all, but proceeding from here would require her to bare a little bit more of her skin than he thought she would be comfortable with.

"That already feels a little better. Thank you," she said softly.

"Are there more?"

She glanced at him quickly. She opened her mouth to answer, but the lie that she was about to tell died on her lips. Closing her mouth, she settled for nodding her head.

"I don't have to do them, if it makes you uncomfortable. I just want you to know that I'm offering."

"No, it's…it's alright. You can, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

Elsa nodded.

"Alright, well scoot back on the bed and lie down, I want to take a look at your ribs."

Elsa followed his instructions, lying back on the pillows. She took a few nervous breaths before finally shifting the shirt up to just below her breasts, so that he could get a good look at her. She tried to hide her flush of embarrassment, but it was useless. She heard him suck in a breath as he saw how bad she looked. She knew it looked bad. It felt bad, but she didn't want to admit that. Noah gently pressed on her ribs in a few different places, checking to make sure none of them were cracked. She shivered as his fingers touched her bare skin.

"Well, the good news is that I don't think anything is broken. The bad news is that you're absolutely covered. This has got to hurt. Why haven't you said anything?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm used to not saying anything," she mumbled.

Noah's gaze softened. "Alright. I'm going to put medicine on these too, okay? Just relax, I'll be as gentle as possible." True to his word, Noah's touch was soft and tender, his movements steady. He had her roll over so he could check her back. Once he finished with her, he gently tugged her shirt back down.

"Is that it?"

Elsa nodded. "They…" She paused, then forced the words out of her mouth. "They preferred up…here," she gestured to her torso. "Because it hurt more," she whispered.

"Oh Elsa," Noah said, pulling her into a gentle hug. He made sure he didn't wrap his arms around her too tightly. She nestled her head in the crook of his neck, leaning into his embrace. Her tears dripped onto his shirt, but he didn't care. Eventually, he stood up with her in his arms, flipping back the covers and laying her down gently. He walked around to the other side of the bed, getting in quickly and pulling the covers up. She instantly snuggled up to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Noah pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Sleep, Els. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

The next several months were mostly a blur of happy memories for Elsa. Noah had continued to treat her aches and pains each day until there weren't any left. The day after he stopped having to apply the gel, she wore her first t-shirt. It was only around his house, and she didn't even go outside, but it was progress.

About a month after she had started staying with Noah and his family, the trial was held that would convict her parents. She had been terrified to be in the same room as them, but it turned out that she didn't have to deal with any yelling and screaming like she thought she would. They pretended she didn't even exist. The trial went smoothly. Noah held her hand the entire time, giving her a gentle squeeze when she got hung up on something. It didn't take them long to decide the sentence: fifteen years in prison, and lifetime supervised release after that. Their parental rights were also formally terminated, and Elsa was allowed to live with Noah's family until she came of age, when she could go wherever she wanted.

That whole experience had been nerve-wracking, terrifying, and incredibly hard to go through. But Elsa felt better now than she had ever felt in her life. She was free. She never had to deal with their torment and abuse ever again. All that was left for her now was to emotionally recover from what they had done to her.

Elsa told Noah her story in bits and pieces. Most of the gruesome details were told at the hearing, but there were other things that she told him. She told him of her fears, the emotional pain that she lived through, the loneliness, the heartache. It was hard for her to let it all out, but each time she told him something, she felt better. She let go of the things she told him, promising herself that things were different now and she didn't have to worry about that anymore. It helped that Noah promised her that too.

She was also immensely grateful that school had let out. She would have the whole summer to spend with Noah, hours and hours each day. She found that she craved his company; she needed him just as much as she needed to breathe. He was her rock, her strength. He was her safe place, her comfort.

Noah was exceedingly gentlemanly with her. He never did anything that could be taken the wrong way. He made sure that he never made her uncomfortable. He kept his physical affections limited to hugs and gentle kisses to the top of her head. He may have wanted to go past that, but he never showed it. Noah gave her plenty of time to get used to being touched. He wanted to love her in every way, and she knew that, but he would wait until she was comfortable with it. He knew he would have to make the first move, but it could wait.

Under Noah's patient, tender care, Elsa slowly came out of her shell. Halfway through the summer she was wearing t-shirts every day, and a couple of weeks before school started back up, he got her in her first pair of shorts. Her vivid personality rapidly became apparent, and Noah thought that the Elsa he was starting to see was even more beautiful than the Elsa he had been used to his whole life. Eventually, they discovered that she was more talkative than he was. She was feisty, passionate, and incredibly sarcastic, and she had a dry sense of humor that made Noah laugh.

There were still moments where she would struggle, when she would sink back into a depressed stupor. Noah thought it was possible that she would struggle with random bouts of depression for months, maybe even years. But every time her head slipped under, he was there to bring her back above the surface. He would let her think for a while before finally pulling out his guitar and singing her song. And it only took one time through the chorus before he saw a smile on her face.

* * *

Elsa was having a rough day today. It was a little over a year since Noah had sung at her window, and they had just recently graduated high school. She was more alive than ever, her beautiful personality flourishing because of all the love and attention she was given. But, that didn't stop her from having difficult moments, and today was one of those.

Noah could see it in her eyes, in the slight slump of her shoulders. The weather seemed to match her mood, dark gray clouds covering the sky, threatening to dump their contents at any moment. He usually let her think for a while before he tried to cheer her up. She needed to release a bit of pain every now and then. But he wouldn't let her sit there for too long; she didn't need to stay depressed all day.

When the rain finally decided to let loose, Noah glanced out the window, an idea slowly forming in his head. He smiled to himself before grabbing Elsa's hand and pulling her off the couch.

"Noah, what are you doing?"

"Shh. We're going to do something. You need to cheer up." He pulled her toward the back door, walking out onto the porch. The rain beat heavily on the roof, pounding loudly in their ears. Noah turned around to face her, and slowly began walking backwards, pulling her with him.

"Noah, I'd rather not get soaking wet."

"I don't care. We're going to have fun." He tugged harder and kept backing up. He felt the cold rain splatter on his back as he stepped out from under the roof, but he kept going. When he was fully out in the rain, he saw a small smile tug at Elsa's lips.

"You look ridiculous."

He grinned. "Come look ridiculous with me."

Elsa let out a reluctant laugh. She gave up trying to resist him, letting him tug her out into the rain. She was soaked to the bone in seconds, her hair plastered to her head and her clothes sticking to her skin.

Noah hauled her out into the center of the yard. He grabbed both of her hands in his own and pulled her into a silly dance, wiggling them all over the place. He looked ridiculous, and he knew it. He might have had a way with words, and his voice might have sounded like honey when he sang, but he definitely could _not _dance. But he didn't mind that he looked silly; it was making Elsa smile, and that was all that mattered. Elsa laughed at him, letting him pull her along to whatever song was in his head.

Noah chuckled eventually, giving up. "I suppose I'm no good at dancing, huh?"

"Oh, no, you were splendid," she deadpanned.

Noah burst into laughter, pulling her closer to him. Taking one of her hands in his own and wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her into a slow dance, swaying back and forth to some unheard tune. She rested her head on his shoulder, the warmth seeping through his shirt a welcome respite from the cold rain.

"How's this? Better?" he asked softly, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

"I could get used to it."

He danced in the rain with her, humming quietly. Water continued to pour from the sky in buckets, turning the ground around them into a soggy mess. Eventually, Elsa pulled back from him. A myriad of emotions were flitting across her face, but what snagged his attention was the lack of confidence, the pain.

"What is it, Els?"

She looked down at their joined hands, a tear slipping down her cheek, though it was hardly noticeable in the rain. "Why? Why do you care so much?"

They had been through this several times, but every now and then she still questioned his love. He was still trying to convince her that she deserved it. But that was okay with him. Every time she needed convincing, he would be there to remind her why she was so important, why she was worth it. Releasing one of her hands to stroke her cheek, Noah did what he does best and started singing softly, gazing steadily at her.

_"__'Cause all of me loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections." _He ran a thumb across her cheek and down her jaw, ending with his hand on the back of her neck. _"Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you. You're my end and my beginning. Even when I lose, I'm winning. 'Cause I give you all.. of me. And you give me all.. of you.. oh.." _

Noah looked into her beautiful blue eyes. He pulled her slowly toward him, angling her head up toward his own. He paused, waiting for a look of confirmation in her eyes that would tell him this was okay. She didn't stiffen against him, she didn't pull back. She knew what was coming and she wanted it. Seeing the look in her eyes, Noah smiled and then closed the distance, meeting her lips with his own.


End file.
